Providing protection for water supplies. Source Water Protection has been a growing concern for many municipalities and community water systems. To help protect Pennsylvania’s drinking water, the Department of Environmental Protection created the Source Water Protection Technical Assistance Program (SWPTAP).

Where does drinking water come from? The quick and easy answer to this question is - either a body of water or an underground water source. What does that mean? An underground source, like a well, fills with groundwater (that’s what we call water in the ground). When groundwater like rain or snow soaks into the ground, it creates an “aquifer”- allowing the well to fill. Bodies of water, on the other hand, include streams, rivers, and lakes. Unlike underground sources that rely on groundwater, these water body sources are reliant on air, rain, and water that flows down to the source.

When you leave your pet waste on the grass or sidewalk, or when you improperly dispose of pet waste through storm or street drains - you could be contributing to low water quality and water pollution.